And Both Were Young
by Gedia Kacela
Summary: As a first-year student, Severus Snape learns that sometimes, you must befriend your enemy in order to accomplish a greater evil. (Year One.) *Completed*
1. Part One: Of Slytherins and Sorting Hats

And Both Were Young  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me besides the character of Gedia Kacela and random non-canon characters.  
  
Author's Note: I've been wanting to write a Snape story with an original character for a while, but never could come up with anyone three-dimensional enough that I could write convincingly about. Then I realized that I already had the perfect character... only she was stuck in another universe. Gedia Kacela (my alter ego) was originally a Star Wars character, but I have transported her from the Star Wars world to the Harry Potter one, with minor damages, to take part in yet another Snape fic from me.  
  
***  
  
Part One: Of Slytherins and Sorting Hats  
  
Gedia's first impression of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was that she had never before seen anything so old, with the notable exception of her great-aunt Serena. She clutched her wand inside the folds of her black robes out of nervous habit as the creaking boats glided slowly across the obsidian waters.   
  
She glanced briefly around at her companions and noticed a scowling, dark-haired boy glaring at her. Returning the glare with sharp blue eyes, she growled, "What are you looking at?"  
  
He gave her a disdainful, uninterested look and didn't respond, fixing his dark eyes on the approaching castle instead. Gedia did the same, silently pondering what sort of hexes she could place on the boy. Briefly, she considered turning his greasy hair purple, which brought a crooked smile to her lips, but the thought was interrupted by their arrival.  
  
As the boats were drug up onto the sandy incline, she climbed from the small vessel, slightly lifting her trailing robes so as not to muddy them. Her boots sunk slightly into the muck, but she glided on, following the rest of the first years, who were in turn following their enormous guide.   
  
Brushing back her dark curls, she longed to get this ridiculously ceremonial ritual over with. Both her parents had gone to Hogwarts- she knew all that would occur that night. She saw no point in the pathetic attempt to frighten the first years by taking them to Hogwarts via boat instead of by carriage, like the older students. It wasn't like anything remotely terrifying would be allowed to happen to them.  
  
Glancing around, she saw that few of the others had such confidence, with the exception of that brooding boy from the boat. His arms were folded across his chest and he seemed as bored as she felt. Well, they had that in common, at the most. With that thought, she resumed her task of ignoring him. He was probably nothing but a self-righteous Mudblood. And she did not want to associate with that sort.  
  
The group proceeded up a winding staircase before coming to a stop in front of a gaunt, dark-haired witch. Her brown eyes peered out from beneath the wide brim of her hat and from behind square glasses, meeting each of the students' eyes. "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Professor McGonagall. You shall address me as Professor McGonagall." There were a few nervous giggles, then the professor continued. "Now, if you would follow me to the Great Hall, I believe the rest of your classmates are waiting to see which house you will soon be a part of."  
  
She turned on her heel and led the young students into one of the largest rooms Gedia had ever lain eyes on. Nothing anyone had told her could have even begun to prepare her for this.  
  
The sheer enormity of the room wasn't what took her breath away. It was the ceiling. The arches that would hold up any normal ceiling seemed hardly necessary... the stone pillars simply disappeared into a great expanse of space. Stars glittered like so many diamonds and planets burned brightly in the dark backdrop.  
  
"It's a spell," she whispered to herself, forcing her feet to continue moving forward. But she couldn't tear her eyes away from the sight. The cosmos had always fascinated her, always drawn her. There was so much up there to learn about. She wanted to gaze at the pinpricks of stars for all eternity.  
  
She hardly noticed as the Sorting Ceremony began, and only half-listened as the Sorting Hat performed its song. She was oblivious as her fellow first-years took their places on the stool, the huge hat half-covering their faces. She found she had to restrain herself from reaching up to attempt to grab a handful of sparkling stars...  
  
"Gedia Kacela!"  
  
She returned to reality with a slight jolt as Professor McGonagall called her name. It was her turn to be Sorted. She slipped through the group and stepped up in front of the Hat, getting her first real look at it.  
  
It was an old ragged thing, something that, if she didn't know better, she would toss out with yesterday's garbage. But she did know better. This was the one thing to decide her future, practically. Both of her parents had been Slytherin, now it was her turn, and she didn't intend on breaking with family tradition.  
  
No one, from her outer appearances, would expect her to be sorted into Slytherin. She simply didn't seem to be that type of girl. Her long brown hair curled beautifully down her back, setting off her pale complexion, and her baby blue eyes could seem as innocent as a child's. Some might misjudge her for Gryffindor material.  
  
But her looks were deceptive. She knew that she was worthy of Slytherin, and soon everyone else would as well.  
  
Filled with this confidence, she seated herself on the wooden stool and felt a thrill of anticipation course through her veins as she placed the Sorting Hat on top of her curls. Immediately, a voice filled her head. "Ah, what have we here? A young Kacela, how interesting. Already so intelligent and well versed in spells... good, good... I believe I know what to do with you..." There was a pause, and Gedia subconsciously held her breath before the Hat called aloud, "Slytherin!"  
  
A pleased and smug smile tugged at her lips as she slipped off the stood to join her cheering housemates. She took a seat at the long table, sliding next to a seventh-year boy, who congratulated her on joining the best house at Hogwarts. After smiling back at him, she turned her focus back to the Sorting. She even allowed herself to get caught up in the excitement and cheered along with the rest whenever another first year was dubbed a Slytherin.  
  
That is, she cheered until she recognized the lean figure up on the stool. It was the greasy-haired kid from the boat. She scowled, crossing her fingers that he would be put in Ravenclaw, but she knew deep down that he had the looks of a-  
  
"Slytherin!" boomed the Hat, causing the boy (what had his name been... something Snape?) to curve his pale, thin lips into what she supposed was a very uncharacteristic smile.  
  
Gedia sunk down onto the bench as he made his way triumphantly to the table, sliding onto the bench next to her. His twisted grin vanished as he regarded her. "You."  
  
She smirked. "Me."  
  
He tilted his head to the side, his eyes traveling over her in a way that made her very self-conscious. It was an effort not to reach up to re-smooth her curls in a nervous habit. "You do not look like a Slytherin," he said softly, harshly. "Perhaps you mistook our table for that of Hufflepuff."  
  
Her eyes snapped like sparks in a flame. "And who are you to judge me, Slick?" The callous nickname popped into her mind and tumbled over her lips as she glanced at his hair. The effect was immediate.  
  
A snarl crept over his lips. "What did you call me?" he inquired dangerously.  
  
She turned from him, appearing disinterested. "You heard me... Slick."  
  
He leaned in close to her, his voice dropping to a throaty whisper so that no one could hear him over the cheers. "Perhaps, Kacela, you underestimate my abilities. I have been preparing for Hogwarts since I could hold a wand. I know spells that some of the very professors do not. I highly recommend that you do... not... mess with me." His voice sent an involuntary shudder through her spine. "That is," he added, "unless you would like for your precious curls to fall out... accidentally." The last word his spoke in a guttural growl, in a voice almost too deep for his eleven years.  
  
She tossed the aforementioned curls over her shoulder flippantly. "You don't scare me," she retorted, but he wasn't listening. He had already turned his attention back to the Sorting. Glowering silently, she resolved to spend her next months learning every spell and curse imaginable. He thought he knew so much, did he? Well, she'd show him.  
  
In fact, she wouldn't just best him at spells and such, she would outsmart him in every other class as well.  
  
A sly, determined smile crossed her face. She'd show him. No greasy-haired bigshot was going to get the best of her. No way. She'd show him.  
  
***  
  
Keeping this promise to herself turned out to be slightly more difficult that she had originally planned on. Severus Snape was no ordinary bigshot. He actually knew what he claimed he did.  
  
The subject she found it hardest to best him in was Potions. The boy seemed to live and breathe potions. He spent nearly all his free time bent over a boiling cauldron in the dungeons. And he didn't just do it for study, he did it for fun.  
  
Soon, Gedia learned to distinguish which potion he had last been brewing by the residue smell that clung to his hair and robes. The most recent one had been Veritaserum, a truth-telling potion. She made a mental note to herself to study that one later on, in order to keep up with her rival. It seemed to be the only way to keep up.  
  
However, there was one class in which she easily bested him- Astrology. The professor, a Madelina Rigsbee, loved her from the moment she raised her hand to correctly rattle off the names of each planet and of their corresponding moons, in order.  
  
Snape had glowered as she relished her triumph- had had been unable to answer the same question.  
  
Astrology never failed to be the highlight of her week, for one because she always knew more than Snape did, and two because it gave her the chance to learn more about the one thing she truly loved- the stars. She soaked up the information like a sponge and spent hours in the library, poring over books and pictures of the cosmos.  
  
Soon, she took to sneaking out of her dorm at nights to lie out under the stars near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Above her, stars would plummet, dive, and weave their way through their ritual dance, and planets would wink cheerily at her, as if happy for her companionship.  
  
Several times, she attempted to childishly count the stars, though she knew the feat was impossible. It made her feel young again, and she had not felt truly young in ages.  
  
Then winter came, and the sudden blizzard that left Hogwarts grounds covered in snow prevented her from remaining outside, and she was driven back indoors. But even then she could remain close to the stars by sneaking into the Great Hall and staring up at the bewitched ceiling.  
  
As she lay gazing upwards, hundreds of thoughts flickered through her brain, fixating mostly on the most recent development in her problems. Now, she not only had to deal with Snape, who daily lorded his superior knowledge of potions over her, but now she was on the bad side of the infamous Marauders.  
  
Several of the first-years had recently banded together to form a group known as the Marauders. They took pleasure in causing trouble in all ways possible. They planted dungbombs in students' robes, cursed the bathrooms so that the toilets overflowed unless you flushed them twice, as quickly as you could, and pulled every prank in the book and then some. No one messed with them, for though they claimed it was all in fun, they didn't like anyone interfering in one of their pranks.  
  
Gedia was well aware of the fact that they simply tortured Severus, dubbing him with cruel nicknames and planting dungbombs in every pocket he had. In fact, she had been forced to hide her smirk as Sirius Black cast an illusion that made Snape's hair appear to turn into slithering green snakes. Though, in actuality, it might have been funnier had Snape actually appeared flustered. He had simply turned to Sirius and said, "Nice try." The illusion promptly faded, along with the smiles of the Marauders.  
  
However, three weeks before Christmas break, Gedia had the misfortune of interfering. She had purposely drawn notice to Remus Lupin one day in Potions while he had been attempting to put an Exploding Spell on Lucius Malfoy's brewing Freckle Potion.  
  
By no means did she care to save Malfoy, one of Snape's few friends, from being covered in freckles, but she did wish to prevent any loss of points from Slytherin by having Malfoy's potion blow up.  
  
After class, the Marauders cornered her. They obviously weren't used to having their plans foiled. "Problem, gentlemen?" she sneered. "Oh wait, I forgot who I was talking to. Problem, idiots?" she corrected herself.  
  
"Trying to be tough, Kacela?" scoffed Peter Pettigrew, the least popular and friendly of the four. He wasn't clever, by any means. The best he could do was bully. And even that didn't frighten Gedia. Sometimes she wondered why Pettigrew was even a Marauder. He didn't quite fit in, somehow.   
  
Still, the others chuckled at his comment, all except for James Potter. Frowning, he reached up to brush some of his shaggy black hair out of his eyes and he looked about to speak when Malfoy himself swept over.  
  
"You've stooped to picking on pretty girls now, have you, Pettigrew? Pathetic."  
  
"You're one to talk, Malfoy. You were saved by one in class."  
  
The blonde boy smiled. Something about the grin chilled Gedia. It wasn't natural, but she couldn't put her finger on what exactly bothered her about it, besides that fact. "And for that I am indebted." He made a sweeping bow to Gedia. "May I have the honor of escorting the lady to Slytherin Hall?"  
  
She frowned, not amused. "No, thank you," she said simply, her blue eyes emotionless. She preferred not to associate with anyone Snape chose to associate with. Of course, that didn't narrow her options much, as Snape talked less than she did.  
  
The smile on his face faded somewhat, becoming a forced grin. "Very well." He turned and stalked over to where Snape was waiting. Gedia's eyes met those of the dark-haired Slytherin, but once he noticed that she realized he had been staring at her, he quickly averted his eyes and left with Malfoy.  
  
"See ya round, Kacela," Peter growled as he hurried after the other three Marauders, leaving her, as she preferred it, alone.  
  
"Not if I can help it," she muttered darkly. "Ya ugly git."  
  
Things had simply gone downhill from there as she had become the Marauders second favorite target, next to Snape. The classification did not amuse her in the least.  
  
She rolled over on her stomach and rested her chin on her arms. That was when she noticed the pair of pointed shoes in front of her face. Her eyes traveled upwards, up the flowing robes, up the long white beard, up into the sparkling blue eyes of Professor Dumbledore.  
  
"Professor!" she gasped, leaping to her feet.  
  
He attempted to look stern, but, as usual, failed miserably. "Calm yourself, Miss Kacela. You're not in trouble yet."  
  
"I'm sorry, Professor. I didn't see-"  
  
"Well! I should hope you did not see me, or I should be forced to find a new Invisibility charm." He chuckled at his joke, then attempted to appear serious. "Now, one must wonder what a young Slytherin like yourself is doing in here at this time of night, without... permission?"  
  
"I was..." A hundred excuses flew through her mind, each more absurd than the last. She was... lost? Sleepwalking? Under the influence of a spell? "Thinking." Somehow, it didn't seem wise to lie to Dumbledore. He was the type of person who could always discern a lie from the truth.  
  
He nodded solemnly. "Thinking... a most noble task. I myself have spent a great portion of my years on this earth simply thinking. May I inquire, however, as to why you are not able to think in the comfort of your own room?"  
  
"I..." She paused, and a blush crept into her cheeks. He was right... she should be in her room, not here, not now. How could she explain this? She herself did not even know the words to describe it. She glanced up at Dumbledore and found him gazing upwards, much as she had only moments earlier.  
  
"They're quite beautiful, aren't they?" He winked at her before returning his gaze to the bewitched ceiling. "The stars, I mean. They can give you a sense of peace when all your life seems in shambles. Somehow, they always give you the comfort that you are not alone, that there is something else out there." He returned his sparkling gaze to her. "Forgive me, Miss Kacela, I was rambling. It is easy to get lost in the heavens."  
  
A genuine smile brightened her face. "I understand completely, Professor."  
  
"Good, good... I would hate to think that I were growing senile in my old age. Now, you'd best head back to your quarters, Miss Kacela, before someone else happens to stumble upon you."  
  
"Thank you," she said softly, hurrying out of the Great Hall. But she didn't get far before she bumped directly into the last person she wanted to see- Severus Snape. He was stumbling down the hall, clutching at his right hand with a pained expression on his face.  
  
They collided and each tumbled backwards with a grunt. Gedia stared at him. The boy had the sleeve of his right arm rolled up, his usually pale skin was reddened frightfully. His hand was the worst, though. It was a deep red and swollen to twice its normal size. She silently hoped it was as painful as it looked. "Are you okay?" she asked without thinking.  
  
He simply glared at her. "What are you doing here?"  
  
She didn't get a chance to respond, for at that moment Dumbledore came bustling around the corner. He clucked his tongue good-naturedly as he helped Snape to his feet. "Didn't I tell you someone would stumble across you?" he asked her with a smile.  
  
With that, the headmaster escorted the boy down the corridor to the hospital wing. Snape was whimpering something about a snake.  
  
Gedia had to resist the cruel but instinctive urge to smile. The sight of seeing Severus so near to tears was positively thrilling. She would have to be sure to pass along her gratitude to those responsible, though she was almost positive that the party in question would be the notorious Marauders.   
  
Still, Snape was sure to be kept in the hospital wing for several days, by the looks of his arm, which meant that her last two days before Christmas break would be absolute bliss.  
  
Or at least, that was the plan.  
  
END PART ONE 


	2. Part Two: The Worst Christmas Ever

Part Two: The Worst Christmas Ever  
  
It was amazing really, how pleasant Potions class could be without Snape around. She almost caught herself whistling as she brewed a Remembrance potion. The sight of Snape's abandoned cauldron was better than any Christmas gift she had ever received.  
  
The rest of her classes breezed by as well that day. The teachers seemed to have caught the holiday spirit and assigned far less homework than usual, which was a pleasant surprise for all the students, not just the dark-haired Slytherin girl who was still skipping due to her Snape-free schedule.  
  
To top it off, the night was one of the most beautiful she had seen all year. She stood outside for as long as possible before Professor McGonagall came to warn her to get back to her dormitory.  
  
But even once she was in bed, she couldn't stop thinking about the night sky. She could still feel the tang of the cold, crisp air chilling her lungs, still see the sky above her beckoning to her and flaunting its beauty. It had been perfectly clear- not a cloud in sight- and the moon had winked down at her as if to wish her a merry Christmas in advance.  
  
Reluctantly, she closed the curtain around her bed, attempting to put herself further away from any thoughts of the stars. She couldn't risk sneaking out again, especially so soon after being caught. Surely Dumbledore would not be so kind a second time?  
  
But... her thoughts returned once again to the stars. Maybe just for a bit.  
  
Slipping out from behind the heavy curtain around her bed, she snatched her black cloak from the hanger by the wall and was halfway to the door when a sleepy voice stopped her. "Where're you goin', Ged?"  
  
It was Millie Masterson, one of her roommates, woken from her characteristically light slumber.  
  
"I think I forgot my wand downstairs," she lied easily. "I'll be right back."  
  
Before she had even stopped speaking, Millie's head had fallen heavily back onto the pillow. Breathing a sigh of relief, Gedia slipped into her cloak and crept up the stairs.  
  
She slipped out through the moving wall that served as an entryway into the Slytherin Common Room and quietly made her way to the Great Hall. But upon reaching it, she paused. Why settle for second best? After all, this would be the last time for several weeks she would have such an opportunity. At home, she lived in the city, where the bright lights dulled that of the stars.  
  
So she turned on her heel and found her way out-of-doors, at last among the stars.  
  
She trudged through the snow until she was a safe distance away from both the castle and the Hagrid's, the Groundskeeper, cabin. Then she removed her cloak and spread it on top of the snow. As she stretched out on top of it, the snow crunched delightfully beneath her weight. She cast a Warming Spell over herself and rolled onto her back, linking her fingers together underneath her head for support.  
  
With the stars as her only companions, she began to think up wicked ways to torture Snape once she got back from the Christmas holiday. Though only eleven, she could be quite diabolical at times. She suspected it came from constantly dealing with her younger cousins back at home. There were times she'd had to blast them with stinging sparks from her wand, just to get them to give her a moment's peace!   
  
Gedia was not a social person, as half the school was aware, and could not deal especially with younger children. They simply grated on her nerves until she wanted to murder them all in their beds. Which, at times, didn't seem like such a bad idea. She'd already used a variety of curses and spells on them- ones that wouldn't allow their mouths to open, or ones that made them mute.  
  
Her favorite had been the Pinnochio Curse. It was based off a Muggle children's story and caused the nose of the person who was cursed to grow longer every time they told a falsehood. Hmm... perhaps she could use that one on Snape. The thought caused her to grin widely, but the smile dissolved a moment later into an equally wide yawn.  
  
The Warming Spell had begun to make her quite drowsy, and she considered going back to her room. "Just a few more minutes," she murmured sleepily, seconds before her eyelids dropped down over her eyes.  
  
***  
  
When she woke, hours later, she was shivering violently, which was funny because she felt as if her body was on fire.  
  
With a moan, she rolled over, an action that caused her head to spin crazily and landed her in half-melted snow. Her head felt as if it had been stuffed with cotton- fuzzy and thick. She laid her burning forehead on her hands, which were now covered in snow. The action cooled her skin somewhat, but not for long.  
  
Her mind foggily tried to comprehend what had happened. She must have fallen asleep and the Warming Spell had worn off, leaving her prone to the freezing cold.  
  
A tear snaked down her cheek. She had never felt so helpless or alone in her life. She mentally cursed herself over and over again for following through on her childish impulses. She should know better!  
  
A larger-than-life shadow was suddenly cast over her shivering form and she faintly heard a booming voice. "Yeh alright there?"  
  
The Groundskeeper, the half-giant, had found her. A hundred horrid things he could do to her entered her mind. Giants were great wicked brutes, capable of unspeakable deeds of cruelty.  
  
Which was why his gentle touch startled her. " 'At's your name, eh?"  
  
"Gedia." She was vaguely aware that he was wrapping her cloak around her- probably so she wouldn't be able to struggle when he roasted her alive. Her vision swam. She wasn't really sure which way was up anymore and wondered if someone had played a cruel joke and switched up and down on her.  
  
The half-giant had gathered her in his arms and was speaking, though it didn't sound like English anymore. The words were all garbled and made no sense to her fevered mind. It was probably some tribal chant he said before he would sacrifice her. But, she found herself not caring anymore as another violent shudder racked her body.  
  
The last thing she remembered seeing was the castle of Hogwarts looming over her, and the last thought she had was that she would never find out how many stars were in the Sirian Cluster.  
  
***  
  
When her eyelids once again fluttered open, she had no idea where she was. She blinked several times to clear her still-hazy vision. Voices drifted lazily to her, somehow sounding like they were coming from a great distance away.  
  
"How is she, Professa?" Hagrid. So he hadn't eaten her alive after all.  
  
"She will be fine, Hagrid," came the gentle voice of the headmaster. "You needn't worry about her. She's as tough as any other Slytherin and should be waking up soon. Poppy will make certain she is well soon enough."  
  
Madame Pomfrey... she must be in the hospital wing, then. There was a white curtain pulled partially around her bed, but she could see both Hagrid and Professor Dumbledore standing outside the curtain. The half-giant was twisting his fur hat in his large hands and looked close to tears.  
  
"I blame meself, Professa, I do. If I had bin payin' proper attention, the poor thing wouldn't hev nearly frozen ter death."  
  
Even with her fuzzy vision, Gedia could see the sparkle in Dumbledore's eyes. "Nonsense, Hagrid. She is left only with a case of the flu, nothing more." He glanced over at Gedia, who quickly shut her eyes again. His voice was a bit louder as he continued, "I imagine it is her own fault for being out there in the first place, especially when she was warned not to have anymore little adventures." Gedia worked hard to fight the blush that rose to her cheeks.  
  
Moments later, Hagrid left, still sniffling to himself, leaving her alone in the room with Dumbledore. She heard his soft footsteps approach the bed "Miss Kacela?"  
  
She hesitantly opened one blue eye to look at him. He didn't seem angry... She rolled over onto her back and opened both eyes. "Professor, I-"  
  
He held up a hand, shaking his head so that his snowy beard swayed slightly. "Make no excuses, Miss Kacela, and no apologies, either. Make only one promise." His eyes lost their sparkle. "Do not repeat this incident, or I will be forced to punish you."  
  
She gawked up at him. Being a Slytherin, she was used to having other teachers hardly hesitate to take points away from the loathed house. "I'm... I'm not being punished?" Her voice sounded hollow and dry to her ears and she winced slightly.  
  
He shook his head once again. "No more than your sickness and your having to miss the train home."  
  
"Miss the train?! But... how long have I... been here?"  
  
"You have been unconscious for going on two days. The Hogwarts Express left this morning. I have sent an owl to your parents, explaining that you have come down with the flu."  
  
Her spirits sank more and more with each passing second. She was stuck here all Christmas break? Unbelievable!! All because she had been reckless and childish and... and stupid!  
  
It seemed as if Dumbledore's smile grew as her frown deepened. "Don't worry, Miss Kacela. You won't be completely alone for the remainder of your time in the hospital wing!" He snapped his fingers and the curtain flew back, revealing the scowling countenance she knew all too well.  
  
Lying in the bed beside hers was none other than Severus Snape.  
  
Her mouth dropped open, she was sure of it, as a look of horror flashed across her face. By his glare, she knew that the feeling was completely mutual.  
  
"Look at the time!" exclaimed Dumbledore. "I must go, and shall leave you two to yourselves." Gedia decided that she definitely did not like the knowing twinkle of Dumbledore's eyes as he turned and left the hospital wing.  
  
She returned her gaze to Snape, who was shooting daggers at her with his dark eyes. She was grateful that his wand was currently out of reach, or he might send a real dagger flying at her head.  
  
Snape's lips turned up in a sneer. "What are you looking at?"  
  
"Bugger off," she retorted, rolling over so that her back faced him. Normally, she wouldn't trust him not to try something, but with Madame Pomfrey around, she knew he wouldn't dare... or at least, hoped he wouldn't.  
  
She was dreading the thought of the days to come. This was going to be the worst Christmas break ever. She just knew it.  
  
***  
  
They spent the rest of the day in total silence, each lying with their backs to each other. Madame Pomfrey bustled about, checking her temperature, and administering them each their separate potions. She clucked her tongue at them as she stood between their two beds.  
  
"Two first years from the same house... don't you two want to talk to each other?"  
  
"No!" they both growled simultaneously.   
  
"Well!" she exclaimed, folding her arms across her chest. "Then do not complain to me when you are both bored out of your skulls from lack of conversation! Because I may choose to extend your stay here until you do speak- civilly, mind you- to each other."  
  
Both rolled over to stare incredulously at her. "You can't do that!" exploded Gedia.  
  
She stared them down. "Do not try me. I am in charge of your social health as well, not just your physical." And with that, she turned and left the room.  
  
The two gazed unbelieving after her for a few moments, before their gazes met. But still, they did not speak. They seemed to be sizing one another up, gauging their separate strengths and weaknesses.  
  
Finally, Gedia spoke. "What happened to your hand that night?"  
  
He glared at her. "I fail to see how that is any of your concern."  
  
"Because," she spat back, "we'll never get away from each other if we do not talk about something."  
  
He fell silent for several minutes, weighing the lesser of two evils- talking to her or being stuck in the same room as her indefinitely. He made his choice. "Very well." His eyes flickered angrily down to his right arm, which was still flushed with color. "The Marauders happened, if you must know."  
  
She stared. "Did you tell Dumbledore?"  
  
"Of course not! What are you, an idiot? He won't do anything to them, just laugh like he usually does. He thinks that Sirius Black is just so clever- the perfect Gryffindor." Fuming, he glared out the window. "Besides, I have no proof, just my word against a Gryffindor."  
  
"What did Black do?"  
  
"He bewitched my quill so that it turned into a snake whenever I touched it. A bloody poisonous one too." He rolled his eyes annoyedly. "Honestly, the serpent pranks are getting rather old."  
  
"You're letting them get away with that?" she asked, amazed. If it were her... well, they would certainly learn why she had been sorted to Slytherin.  
  
"Of course not." From the practical tone of his voice, it sounded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "They will pay, once I get out of here." He glanced at her. "I might have thought that you, of all people, might have understood that, now that you have been added to their hitlist."  
  
Strangely, she had never considered the idea of revenge, at least not against the Marauders. Against Snape, surely, as he was an equal and therefore the effort was worth it. But to take revenge against a Gryffindor... the thought had not occurred to her. She simply chose to ignore the Marauders... they were beneath her, after all. But still, revenge...  
  
"Enough talking for now," she murmured before she rolled away from him once again to become lost in her thoughts.  
  
The boy didn't even bother to respond, but then again, she hadn't expected him to.  
  
***  
  
The next day, Gedia woke up to a fit of sneezing. By the time Madame Pomfrey entered the hospital wing, her nose was red from irritation and the waste bin was threatening to overflow with the tissues the girl continually flung at it.  
  
"Goodness!" the nurse cried. "Why didn't you call for me, you silly girl?"  
  
She didn't answer, but blew her nose more loudly and pointedly, earning her a glare from Severus. "Can't you be quiet?" he hissed, noting that it was still dark outside. "Some people are trying to sleep!" Her only answer was to fling her box of tissues at her head.  
  
Snape shot her a death glare and Madame Pomfrey stepped between them before more objects could begin to fly. "Well," stated Gedia. "If you would give me my wand, I could have done something about my situation."  
  
"Don't you even think about getting your wand back until I allow it." She handed Gedia a vial of purplish liquid. "Drink this. It'll do more for you than any spell you could come up with." She fixed the girl with a hard stare before Gedia could retort that she knew spells that could make Poppy's hair stand on end.  
  
As soon as the thick door closed behind the nurse, Snape kicked back his covers and rolled from the bed onto his feet. Gedia gulped down the potion with a grimace before asking, "What are you doing?"  
  
"Getting my wand." He drug a stool underneath a shelf and stood on it. His unusual height aided him in reaching his goal- his nine and a half inch beechwood wand with a single unicorn hair in its center.  
  
"Get mine!" she called.  
  
He stepped down and replaced the stool before grinning malevolently at her. "I would not do such a thing, even if you had asked me nicely."  
  
"Why, you..." Gedia flushed with anger and thrust the empty vial at Snape's head. He ducked, glancing back over his shoulder as the glass shattered against the wall.  
  
Smirking, he twirled his wand between his fingers. "Problems with anger management, Kacela?"  
  
Her fists clenched and she started to sit up, ready to fly at him. But the potion had begun to take effect, making her woozy. She sunk back on the pillows, glaring at Snape, who was muttering charms under his breath with his wand pointed at his arm. Already, the redness was fading away.  
  
She hated him. She really, really hated him.  
  
***  
  
Christmas Eve came, their respective ailments faded, and still neither of them were allowed out of the hospital wing. Of course, that may have been because Gedia had refused to speak to Severus after the wand incident. She had lain silently on her bed, counting the things she could do to get back at him, once her wand was firmly in hand. By Christmas Eve, she lost count.  
  
  
That was the night that Dumbledore paid them a visit.  
  
The old wizard pulled up a chair between their two beds. "I must say," he began as he leaned back in the chair, "that you are two of the most stubborn Slytherins Hogwarts has ever seen. And that is certainly saying something! My purpose in keeping you here, together, was so that you would at least grow accustomed to speaking to each other." He smiled ruefully. "I see now that it will take something far greater to accomplish that goal." His blue eyes studied them. "I shall be very intrigued to see what that event will be."  
  
"What if we always... feel this way about each other?"  
  
"Well then, Miss Kacela, you shall both have lost a chance at a great friendship." He stood to leave, then seemed to remember something. One of his hands reached into his robes and he removed two objects. One he handed to Snape and the other to Gedia. "Merry Christmas! I look forward to seeing both of you at the feast tomorrow."  
  
Snape glanced up from his gift. "We are being allowed to attend?"  
  
"Certainly! I believe one more night of confinement will be sufficient. Starting tomorrow, you shall be allowed to return to your dorms for the remainder of the holidays. Farewell!"  
  
Gedia stared down at what Dumbledore had given her. It was a thick roll of parchment, held shut with a ribbon around the middle. She tugged the binding off and spread it open, as far as she could, across her lap. Even then, she could not open it all the way.  
  
A blank expanse of parchment stared back at her, a few lines of Dumbledore's neat script taunting her from the middle of the paper. 'Merry Christmas, Miss Kacela. The only thing you need do in return is to make a promise. Then you may enjoy your gift."  
  
Her lower lip jutted out slightly as she pondered the strange gift. Perhaps she needed her wand... her gaze fluttered from the shelf where it lay, to Snape. He was currently involved in his own present, a book of some sort.  
  
She rolled up the parchment and set it aside on the table by her bed. Then she lay down, for once not with her back to him. This time, she lay facing him. Feigning sleep, she watched him from beneath half-closed eyelids until his head sagged back onto the pillows and the book slipped from his hands.  
  
She slunk silently from her bed, creeping towards the sleeping boy. She moved aside the book- 100 Most Useful Potions- and reached for his wand. He kept it tucked neatly up his sleeve for easy access and she could just see the slim outline traced through the thin material.  
  
Leaning over the bed, she reached for the wand. Her fingers skimmed lightly over his cool skin, sliding between flesh and material until her fingers closed over the wand. "Got it," she whispered, at the exact moment that a pale hand clamped down firmly on her wrist.  
  
She gasped, attempting to pull away, but the boy's grip was stronger than she might have thought. "Let go," he hissed.  
  
"No," she growled back, prying at his hand with her free one. She gave a great pull and stumbled backwards, bringing both of them to the floor in a tangle of limbs and sheets.  
  
They struggled together for a few moments, but the thin boy really had no chanced in a physical confrontation. She pinned him to the ground, slamming his shoulders and head against the hard floor. Though he didn't release her wrist, he got the wind knocked out of him and he lost the grip he'd had on her hair, which gave her the chance to act.  
  
Her hand flew to his throat and she pressed her index finger expertly against his windpipe. Surprised, he gasped for air, but none came. She smiled maliciously at him. "Let go of my wrist."  
  
He made a vain attempt to struggle before giving in. His grip slackened and she wrenched her hand away before he had time to change his mind, pointing the wand at the shelf.  
  
"Accio wand!"  
  
Instantly, her wand flew towards her. She removed her hand from his throat to catch it, and Snape sucked in hair, rubbing his throat with a contemptuous glare.  
  
She slid off of where she had been straddling him after shooting him a triumphant grin and dropped his wand onto his heaving chest.  
  
"Merry Christmas, Snape."  
  
"Same to you," he coughed bitterly.  
  
END PART TWO  
  
Author's Note: Thanks to Storm and Camille, for reviewing... albeit my only reviewers. :-P You're both just so awesome, you know? You love me, you really love me! *sniffles and blows nose in Snape's robes* More to come soon! I love evil little Snape... I find him adorable. Maybe it's just me. 


	3. Part Three: If You Can't Beat Em

Part Three: If You Can't Beat 'Em...  
  
Even Gedia could not help but smile as she stepped into the Great Hall. The room was decorated from top to bottom for Christmas. Ornaments sparkled on the impossibly huge evergreen tree, almost sickeningly festive music played from an unknown source, and glittering snowflakes drifted down from the ceiling.  
  
Sucking on the last of the sugar quills her cousin Rosa had sent her, Gedia made her way over to the Slytherin table, which was occupied by only a fifth year and a second year that Gedia did not know.  
  
It had been a good day, thus far. She had received all of her presents by owl, the best of them being what she wore now- a flowing dress robe that sparkled green when she moved. Mother had said that she had charmed the garment so that it adjusted its size as she grew. It was perfect, and she had been unable to resist wearing it right away.  
  
She had opened all of her gifts while still in the hospital wing before sending the house elves to take everything to her room. She had not failed to notice that Snape received only one small package, a letter, and no snacks. Of course, she had not offered to share any of her candy with him, but had made a great show of biting the head off of a chocolate frog.  
  
She smiled, ever so slightly, at Dumbledore, who raised his glass to her with an inquisitive lift of his eyebrow. Correctly interpreting his meaning, she nodded and mouthed 'thank you' to him before taking her seat.  
  
The one thing she had not allowed the house elves to take was her gift from the headmaster. She had been right- she had needed her wand. After tapping the wand to the parchment, all she needed say was "I promise to not wander after hours," and instantly the words took effect. The parchment had turned to black and thousands of specks of white scattered across it, creeping slowly across the paper.  
  
It had taken her but a moment to realize what the gift was. A Starchart. She had watched in awe as the pinpricks of white, each one representing a single star, moved and weaved across the parchment. In fact, she had stayed up half the night simply engrossed in the present. It was perfect, something she could not have even dreamt of possessing. She had only read of Starcharts, never seen one.  
  
To end the enchantment, she simply tapped the paper again and said, "Promise kept." It had taken her a bit longer to figure that one out, but she had been determined to not let anyone else see her treasure, which was why it was now tucked safely away in her robes.  
  
She swallowed the last speck of sweetness from her sugar quill, then reached for the large platter of crumpets on the table. After finishing it, she swallowed a mouthful of pumpkin juice before noticing that Severus had joined the table. He was purposefully sitting as far away from her as possible, which was perfectly fine with her. She avoided his gaze, which was currently observing her robes with undisguised disdain. It wasn't her fault that her family actually cared to send her gifts on Christmas.  
  
Primly, she popped a large grape into her mouth and allowed her eyes to travel around the room. Over at the Gryffindor table, the Marauders were clustered close together, leaning over the table to whisper to one another. When they noticed Gedia looking at them, they instantly burst into laughter.  
  
She rolled her eyes. Silly boys. She wanted nothing to do with any of them. It was amazing to her that women could stand to marry one of them. Perhaps when boys became men, they changed.  
  
Chewing thoughtfully on another crumpet, she shook her head. She doubted it.  
  
After Dumbledore's Christmas morning speech, Gedia stuffed several breakfast items into her pockets for later and stood to head back to Slytherin Hall. Unfortunately, Snape had the same idea. She had the great misfortune of meeting both him and Sirius Black in the hall outside.  
  
Sirius, of course, looked delighted. "Look, it's the two infirmary infidels!" He smirked. "You two sure were in the hospital wing a long, long time. What were ya doing, eh?" Snape and Gedia both cast him warning glares, but he took not notice and began to chant loudly in a singsong voice, "Snape and Kacela, sitting on a cot, P-R-O-B-I-N-G..."  
  
He was cut off abruptly as Gedia whipped out her wand and threw a curse at him. His lips were forcefully pulled together and held shut. His eyes bulged as she clutched at his throat, fighting for breath.  
  
Gedia rolled her eyes. Gryffindors could be so thick. "Breathe through your nose, idiot." She started to walk away, but called back over her shoulder, "And mind what you say, or next time I may plug your nose as well."  
  
As she walked away, a smug expression on her pretty face, she couldn't see Snape stare after her. A thoughtful expression somewhat smoothed the lines usually left by his scowl. But even if she had noticed, she would not have understood what it meant. Even the boy was unsure of the thoughts suddenly entering his head.  
  
He frowned once more before stalking off in the opposite direction of Slytherin Hall. He didn't want to see that girl's face again for a very long time, not after the sheer amount of time they'd been forced to spend together. He would rather pull his own hair out. Or perhaps, he would pull hers. It would bring him infinitely much more pleasure, that was for sure.  
  
***  
  
Gedia was only too glad to return to the normalcy of classes. It gave her something to concentrate on, a thing to focus her energy into. Of course, she still had dratted Potions with Snape and the Marauders. She honestly didn't know which she wanted to destroy first.  
  
That decision was mad quite simpler one night, in a way she never would have expected.  
  
She was usually the first of the girls to retire at night, so it was not unusual to find the dungeon dorms shrouded in darkness. Usually, she didn't bother to turn on the light, as she much preferred the darkness. Tonight was no different.  
  
And yet, something was different. Upon entering her dorm, she felt, rather than saw or heard, the intruder. Her senses were instantly on alert and she slid her wand down from her sleeve until it rested easily in her fingertips.  
  
She brushed her hair away from her eyes and peered into the darkness. "Who is there?" she demanded fiercely, pointing her wand in the direction of the shadowy corners of the room.  
  
Noiselessly, Severus Snape stepped forward. His black robes had blended in almost perfectly with the shadows. He pushed back his hood, revealing more of his sullen face. "I thought to pay you a visit."  
  
She bristled, angered at his intrusion, her eyes sparkling dangerously. "Give me one reason not to seriously injure you, Snape."  
  
He shrugged nonchalantly. "I have none."  
  
The answer caught her off-guard and she lowered her wand. It was quite atypical- neither sarcastic nor insulting. She paused, staring at him, but found no more answers in his dark eyes. "What on earth are you here for, then?" He was certainly not the type who would just drop in on her for a little chat before bedtime. She couldn't imagine what sort of circumstances would have forced him here.  
  
"We need to speak," he said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Why, by Merlin's beard, would I ever want to speak to..." she closed her eyes and mouth, cutting off her biting remark. He had been strangely civil thus far. She might as well do the same. "Then speak."  
  
He ran a hand absently through his hair before allowing the strands to fall back down across his forehead. "I have been considering our situation the past few nights..."  
  
"Our... situation?" she interrupted with a raise of her eyebrow.  
  
"Yes." He tilted his head to the side slightly. "From my encounters with you in our classes, I assumed that you were intelligent enough to recognize our situation." Her bright eyes scanned his face for even the slightest sign of sarcasm, but he hid it well. "By that, I mean the tension that exists both between us and between ourselves and the so-called Marauders."  
  
She was suspicious. What was he getting at? "Explain what, exactly, you want."  
  
"I believe..." his voice dropped a few steps, "that it would be to our advantage if we," he paused again to clear his throat, "became friends."  
  
Her eyes widened. "Are you completely out of your mind?" Perhaps breathing in fumes from potions had finally begun to affect him.  
  
He cocked an eyebrow at her, an amused expression on his face. "Actually, no."  
  
"Then why would you suggest that we become friends, of all things?"  
  
"Well, the Muggles have an expression... how does it go...? If you cannot beat them, then you must join them...? I believe that by adhering to this phrase, we can deal more effectively with our problem of the Marauders."  
  
"If you are suggesting that we join the Marauders...!"  
  
"Of course not!"  
  
"Then what are you talking about?!"  
  
He sighed. "There is no reason to raise your voice, Kacela. Can we not discuss something without attempting to kill or deafen each other?"  
  
"I doubt it," she muttered, but he ignored her.  
  
"I do not wish to join the Marauders. The very idea is idiotic. They are not the ones we cannot beat. It is each other that we cannot beat. Do you understand?" She nodded slowly. He was finally starting to make sense. "It is quite clear that we both dislike the Marauders. They are childish pranksters that must be dealt with. Now, few wish to become involved, for fear that they will end up like we have become- the objects of their torture. Which leaves us."  
  
"Us," she repeated, lost once again.  
  
"Separately, we cannot do much in revenge, as we are also involved in our own disagreements with each other. But, if we ceased our private fight..." he trailed off, studying her face to see if she had finally caught his drift.  
  
She had. She gawked at him for a moment before regaining her composure. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you're bloody brilliant for being such a self-righteous git."  
  
He gave her a look that was less than amused. "Don't worry. I shall try not to let the compliment go to my head."  
  
"Good. I don't think you could afford to let your head get any bigger."  
  
"Look who's talking, Miss Queen of Astrology," he shot back, girlishly tossing his hair over his shoulder and adopting a high, nasally voice. "Oh, Professor Rigsbee, I know the answer! Really, you should ask a more difficult question than 'How many stars are currently in existence?' I counted them personally last night!"  
  
He grip on her wand tightened slightly. "Shut up, you."  
  
"Really, Gedia." Hearing him say her first name slightly took her by surprise. He had always called her 'Kacela' up till now. "What did you used to do when you snuck off at night?"  
  
She stared at him. "How the hell do you know?"  
  
"Do you honestly think that you're the only one who leaves their dorm at night? Think again. The night we ran into each other was not the first time I saw you out. What do you do out there?"  
  
She blushed, despite her desperate attempts not to, and hoped that the darkness would hide the fact. "Countthestars," she mumbled, preparing herself for his worst.  
  
But to her surprise, he did not laugh or mock. As if he hadn't heard her, he turned away. "I'll send a note with Rasputin when I wish to speak again."  
  
He was almost to the door when she spoke. "No sarcasm, Snape?"  
  
"Save it for the Marauders, Kacela."  
  
"So what? We're just going to be... nice... to each other?" The thought struck her as being almost... wrong. Being nice to him was practically against her morals.  
  
"Well, I'm certainly not going to start holding doors open for you, if that's what you've in mind." With that, he left the room, the heavy door banging shut behind him.  
  
Gedia sunk down onto her bed without bothering to change. She would not get much sleep that night anyway. She had far too much to think about.  
  
***  
  
True to his word, Snape did not hold open any doors for her. Nor did he offer to help her in Potions. However, he did cease his gloating around her. And that was close enough to friendship for Gedia.  
  
And as for the Marauders, they had laid off the two Slytherins for a bit after Gedia's threat of suffocating Black. But she knew it would not last, as did Snape. So she wasn't surprised when a dark brown owl with a viciously hooked beak fluttered up to her while she was sitting outside several days after her conversation with Snape. She had no doubt that the owl was Snape's Rasputin. Who else would own such a hideously sinister bird?  
  
After unwrapping the parchment from his leg, she offered the owl a few crumbs of a muffin left over from breakfast. He snatched at them, nearly biting her fingers off, before flying off with a squawk.  
  
"Nasty bird." She unfolded the note and read, "Revenge will be brewed tonight. All things brew best in Potions Class. -SS." She blinked. What was with people and coded messages? Honestly.  
  
Still, she had understood the message. Snape wanted her to meet him tonight in the Potions classroom to plan their revenge. Gathering her robes about her, she made her way back inside. The sun was about to set anyway.  
  
After the rest of her dorm was asleep, Gedia slid open the curtains around her bed and emerged, still fully dressed. She carried her shoes as she crept barefoot to the door and up the stairs to the Common Room. Outside, she knelt to put on her books before sliding through the shadows to the designated classroom.  
  
Snape was already waiting, bent over a boiling concoction he was stirring in a cauldron. When she entered, he glanced up for a brief moment to ascertain that it was she before announcing, "You are late."  
  
She looked over his shoulder into the cauldron. "Unless I am mistaken, which I rarely am, you did not specify a time."  
  
He didn't answer, but she was used to that. Instead, he dipped a large spoon into the mixture and held it up to her. "Smell this, but do not let it contact your skin." She did so, and instantly began giggling softly. She clamped a hand over her mouth as Severus broke out in his seldom-seen smile. "Perfect."  
  
"What is it?" she inquired. Her giggles had faded, but she was still unable to suppress the smile that stretched across her face.  
  
"A Hilarius Potion."  
  
"Haven't heard of it." Of course he had, since Snape seemed to know every Potion known to mankind.  
  
"I suppose you can guess its effects, though."  
  
She nodded. "It must be strong." After all, she had only smelled it and it had taken affect on her.  
  
The wicked glint in his eyes was enough of an answer. "Very."  
  
She smiled in return. "So what's the plan?"  
  
***  
  
The next day, Severus and Gedia left for breakfast, armed with vials of the orange liquid tucked inside the sleeves of their robes. For the first time since the Sorting Ceremony, the two sat relatively close to each other, close enough to easily make eye contact.  
  
There was a reason for this. After a subtle nod from her partner-in-crime, Gedia directed her wand towards the breakfasting Marauders and whispered a spell. A split-second later, she heard a crash as the Marauders' dishes clattered and broke on the floor. They let out cries of surprise and anger, and Gedia looked over to see them glaring accusingly at the Slytherin table.  
  
After Dumbledore performed a quick Reparo on the dishes and restored order, the four Gryffindors stood and approached the Slytherin end of the room. Peter and James stood behind Gedia, while Remus and Sirius surrounded Snape.  
  
"Alright," said Black. "Which one of you slimy gits did that?"  
  
"What?" asked Gedia sweetly, reaching to pour herself more pumpkin juice. As she did so, she slid the vial into the palm of her hand and let several drops fall into the drink. She picked up the goblet, poised as if to drink.  
  
Peter took the bait.  
  
He snatched away the goblet. "You know what."  
  
"I have nothing to do with you klutziness."  
  
"What about you, Snape?" sneered Black. "Did a little spell escape your ugly lips?"  
  
"Certainly not. As much as I hate to admit it, Kacela is right. You are all simply bloody klutzes."  
  
"Why, you..." Sirius lunged forward and Snape dodged expertly to the side, swinging out his arm so that his goblet of juice splashed onto Remus and Sirius. At the same time, he let a good amount of Hilarius get on their robes as well.  
  
Predictably, the two began to brush at their robes, trying to get the juice off. But when they didn't instantly break into laughter, Gedia shot a look at Snape. Was it not working? He didn't seem worried.  
  
She glanced up at Peter, who was still holding her goblet. "Could I have that back before you spill it?"  
  
He glared at her. "Sure." And with that he promptly began to chug the contents of the goblet. He set down the empty cup with a bang and wiped his mouth with the back of a pudgy hand.  
  
James smiled. "Come on, guys. We don't want to hang around here any longer."  
  
"Yeah," growled Sirius. "The sliminess might rub off."  
  
Peter and James rounded the table and the four started to walk off. That was when Gedia realized that neither of them had gotten James.  
  
But James took care of that himself. He paused to brush at Remus' robes to get a bit more of the juice off his friend.  
  
Gedia's eyes met Snape's and she suddenly felt as if she had taken Hilarius, because she could hardly repress the laughter that bubbled to her lips. Abruptly, she stood and left the table. Snape followed her.  
  
"Will it work?" she asked once they were out in the hall.  
  
"Of course it will. I merely added a Time-Release ingredient to delay the effects. That way the source would not be as traceable. It should start working in about fifteen minutes."  
  
Gedia shook her head. She had to admit it, Snape was brilliant. "Perfect."  
  
***  
  
Fifteen minutes later, they were already beginning Potions. Gedia had to keep herself from continually looking over at where the four sat. Instead, she focused on the instructions being given.  
  
Then, she heard a low giggle. The Potions professor glanced up sharply. "Something funny, Mr. Pettigrew?" The boy shook his fat head furiously as he nearly doubled over in laughter. Remus and Sirius were staring curiously at their friend, but moments later they too began to laugh. Gedia wanted to treasure the looks on their faces forever. It was a mixture of shock and hilarity.  
  
Professor Defoe tapped his foot. "Gentlemen, unless you would like to share with the class what is so obviously amusing to you, I severely recommend that you gain control of yourselves." He turned to James. "Potter, can you possibly explain your cohorts' behavior?"  
  
"No, Professor, I-" He was cut off as his own laughter was added to his friends'. Sirius was now rolling on the floor, Peter was shaking, and Remus was clutching his sides.  
  
Gedia pressed a hand to her mouth to hide the smile that threatened to give her away, and she noticed Snape biting his lip in an effort to maintain his cool composure.  
  
Though several other students were smiling bemusedly, Professor Defoe was not amused. "Outside, gentlemen, NOW. And twenty points from Gryffindor for disrupting my class... each."  
  
Shocked looks crossed the faces of the Gryffindors, particularly the Marauders, while grins broke out among the Slytherins. Still, their laughter continued even as they exited into the hall, their hands clasped in vain over their mouths. The Professor followed them, slamming the door behind him.  
  
Instantly, the Slytherin side of the room began to mock and taunt the Gryffindor side. Eighty points from Gryffindor! It was marvelous! In the midst of it all, Gedia leaned over her table so that Snape, who sat in front of her, could hear as she whispered to him.  
  
"I think, Severus," she began, practically beaming with their definite success, "that this is going to be the beginning of a wonderful friendship."  
  
He turned in his seat to face her, raising an eyebrow. "Friendship?"  
  
She nodded with a soft smile. "Friendship."  
  
END  
  
Author's Note: Well, there it is, the very first story of Gedia and Snape. I greatly enjoyed writing this, and hope that whoever reads it enjoys it equally as much. Be looking out for the next story. My muse is in love with Snape, so you'll be seeing a lot more of him. Go on, you know you like it. ;-)  
  
Fifty points to the house of the person who can tell me where I got the name Rasputin from. Storm and Cami, you don't count, as you SHOULD know why.   
  
Officially dedicated to Storm, because she's just plain awesome and makes me stay on my pedestal, even though I want to get down. 


End file.
